Universal coupler for cake icing decorating tubes

ABSTRACT

An improved universal coupler is provided, whereby a plurality of different cake decorating icing tubes may be selectively attached to an icing decorating cone, without the need to empty the cone when one tube is replaced by another. The coupler of the invention includes a tubular element and which has a threaded end which protrudes through a hole in the bottom of the cone when the coupler is placed in the cone. The larger sized icing decorating tubes may be selectively attached to the tubular element by means of an appropriate nut, as will be described. The coupler also includes a smaller tubular element which may be attached to the larger element in order that the smaller sized icing decorating tubes may be selectively coupled to the icing cone. A ring and/or a further nut is also provided which enables intermediate sized icing decorating tubes to be attached to the first-mentioned tubular element.

United States Patent [1 1 Parrish et a1.

[ UNIVERSAL COUPLER FOR CAKE ICING DECORATING TUBES [75] Inventors: Douglas R. Parrish, Anaheim;

Richard A. Parrish, Costa Mesa, both of Calif.

[73] Assignee: Parrishs Cake Decorating Supplies,

Inc., Los Angeles, Calif.

[22] Filed: Nov. 12, 1971 [21] Appl. No.: 198,340

[52] US. Cl. 425/191, 425/183 299,228 5/1884 Kirsten.. 425/191 560,719 5/1896 I-Iueg 425/191 FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS 11/1966 France 425/191 ['11] 3,801,247 [451 'Apr. 2, 1974 Primary Examiner l. Spencer Overholser Assistant Examiner-David S. Safran Attorney, Agent, or FirmHarris, Kern, Wallen & Tinsley 57 1 ABSTRACT An improved universal coupler is provided, whereby a plurality of different cake decorating icing tubes may be selectively attached to an icing decorating cone, without the need to empty the cone when one tube is replaced by another. The coupler of the invention includes a tubular element and which has a threaded end which protrudes through a hole in the bottom of the cone when the coupler is placed in the cone. The larger sized icing decorating tubes may be selectively attached to the tubular element by means of an appropriate nut, as will be described. The coupler also includes a smaller tubular element which may be attached to the larger element in order that the smaller sized icing decorating tubes may be selectively coupled to the icing cone. A ring and/or a further nut is also provided which enables intermediate sized'icing decorating tubes to be attached to the first-mentioned tubular element.

1 Claim, 7 Drawing Figures PATENTED kPR 2 I974 SHEET 2 0F 2 BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION It has long been the practice in the cake icing decorating art to form decorative borders around the cake by means of a flexible cone which is filled with icing, and by a hollow nozzle-like decorating tube which fits into the cone and which protrudes through a hole in the bottom of the cone. Then, as the cone is squeezed during the decorating operation, the icing is caused to be extruded through the tube with a selected shape, as determined by the size and configuration of the aperture at the end of the tube.

A large number of icing decorating tubes are available in different sizes and shapes, corresponding to different border designs and sizes as may be desired for any particular cake. The usual practice in the art is to insert a selected tube into the icing cone, and then to squeeze the icing through the tube in order to carry out the decorating operation. However, with such an arrangement, the tube cannot be changed until the icing has first been emptied from the cone, at which time a new tube can be inserted into the cone to protrude through the hole in the bottom of the cone. This factor has rendered the usual prior art type of icing cone combination restricted in many cases, and especially where elaborate designs are desired, and which require the use of several different tubes.

The problem outlined in the preceding paragraph has been partially solved in the prior art by the provision of a coupler assembly, by which a tubular coupling element, rather than the icing tube itself, is inserted into the cone, and a threaded portion of the tubular coupling element protrudes through the hole in the bottom of the cone. The icing tube is then attached to the protruding portion of the tubular element, by means of an appropriate nut. With such an arrangement, a variety of different sized decorating tubes may be coupled to the tubular element, without the need first to empty the icing from the bag.

As stated above, the arrangement described in the preceding paragraph only partially solves the problem. This is because with such a tubular element, there is only a limited range of different sized decorating tubes which may be attached thereto. At present, there are a large number of decorating tubes on the market, and these tubes vary in sizes, for example, from a base width of 17 millimeters to a base width of 27 millimeters and greater. The purpose of the present invention is to provide a universal coupler which can accommodate the entire range of different sized decorating tubes, thus permitting any desired size of decorating tube to be selectively attached to the aforesaid tubular element at will, and without the need for removing the icing from the icing cone.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING FIG. 1 shows a flexible icing cone, and a coupler attached to the lower end of the cone which may be constructed to incorporate the concepts of the invention;

FIG. 2 is a side section taken substantially along the line 2-2 of FIG. 1, and showing the various components of the coupler of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a side section, like FIG. 2, and showing the coupler of FIG. 1, but with a different nut element from that shown in FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is an exploded representation showing a further coupling element and nut which are included in the coupler of the invention, together with a typical decorating tube;

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of an annular ring element which also may be included in the assembly of the invention;

FIG. 6 is a side section showing the coupler of the invention in another aspect in which the annular element of FIG. 5 is included in the assembly; and

FIG. 7 is a side section showing the coupler assembly in yet another aspect in which the coupler elements of FIG. 4 are included in the assembly.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE ILLUSTRATED EMBODIMENT As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, a flexible icing cone 10 is provided which may 'be filled with icing, and a tubular element 12 is inserted into the bag and has a threaded lower end protruding out through a hole in the bottom of the bag. The tubular element 12, in the illustrated embodiment, has a truncated conical configuration. A nut 13 is provided, so that decorating icing tubes 14 of different sizes may be selectively attached to the lower end of the tubular element 12. In the as pect of the invention shown in FIG. 2, for example, rel atively large sized decorating tubes 14 having a base width in a range, for example, of 22-28 millimeters may be selectively attached to the lower end of the tubular element 12. The base of the decorating tube in FIG. 2 extends up over the lower end of the tubular element 12 in a telescopic relationship, and it is held in place by the nut 13.

For a slightly smaller range of decorating tubes 14, having a base width, for example, in a range of from 20-23millimeters, the nut 13 is replaced by a nut 18, the nut 18 having a smaller diameter at its lower end. These latter tubes have an insufficient base width to extend telescopically over the end of the tubular element 12 and, instead, are held in abutting relationship against the end of the tubular element by the nut l8,'as shown in FIG. 3. v

It will be appreciated, of course, that the tube base dimensions given above, and others which will be given subsequently herein, are merely for purposes of explanation, and are not intended to limit the invention in any way.

A smaller tubular coupling element 26, as shown in FIG. 4, may also be provided. The tubular element 26 has the same general configuration as the tubular element 12, but is of smaller size. A nut 30 is provided which may be threaded to the lower end of the tubular element 26. Also, a ring 22, as shown in FIG. 5, may be provided.

Instead of replacing the nut 13 by the nut 18 as described in conjunction with FIG. 3, the ring 22 may be placed into the nut 13, so as to adapt the nut 13 to support slightly smaller tubes, for example, in the 20-23 millimeter range, in much the same manner as the nut 18.

For the smaller tubes, having a base width, for example, of the order of 17 millimeters, the tubular element 26, as shown in FIG. 7 is attached to the coupling element 12 by means of the nut 18, and the smaller sized decorating tubes are supported on the tubular element 26, for example, by the nut 30, as shown in FIG. 7.

The invention provides, therefore, an improved coupler assembly which has universal application, since it provides for the attachment of a wide variety of different sized decorating tubes to the flexible icing cone 10.

It is clear that the difierent decorating tubes can be changed at will, and without the need to empty the cone l0, merely by removing the annular nut 13, 18 or 30, as the case may be, and by attaching a selected sized tube to the tubular element 12, as described above.

While a particular embodiment of the invention has 7 cone with said first lower end protruding through said hole; a first nut member having internal threads for removable engagement with the external threads of said first tubular member and including first bottom edge means of a first predetermined diameter for holding large size decorating tubes against said first lower end of said first tubular member; a second downwardly tapered tubular member shaped and of a size to be received in said first nut member and to be held by said first bottom edge means against said first tubular member in axial alignment therewith and with a second lower end having a lesser diameter than said first lower end and protruding through said first nut member when said first nut member is threaded onto said first tubular member; and a second nut member having internal threads for removable engagement with external threads of the protruding end of said second tubular member including second bottom edge means of a second predetermined diameter less than said first predetermined diameter for holding small size decorating tubes against said second lower end of said second tubular member.

Disclaimer and Dedication 3,80l,247.-D0uglas R. Parrish, Anaheim and Richard A. Parrish, Costa Mesa,

Calif. UNIVERSAL COUPLER FOR CAKE ICING DECORAT- ING TUBES. Patent dated Apr. 2, 1974. Disclaimer and Dedication filed Mar. 17, 1986, by the assignee, The Pillsbury C0.

Hereby disclaims and dedicates said patent to the Public.

[Official Gazette July 8, 1986.] 

1. A coupler assembly for selectively coupling icing decorating tubes of different sizes to a flexible icing cone, said cone having a hole in the lower end thereof, said assembly including: a first downwardly tapered tubular member having external threads on a first lower end thereof and configured to be inserted into said cone with said first lower end protruding through said hole; a first nut member having internal threads for removable engagement with the external threads of said first tubular member and including first bottom edge means of a first predetermined diameter for holding large size decorating tubes against said first lower end of said first tubular member; a second downwardly tapered tubular member shaped and of a size to be received in said first nut member and to be held by said first bottom edge means against said first tubular member in axial alignment therewith and with a second lower end having a lesser diameter than said first lower end and protruding through said first nut member when said first nut member is threaded onto said first tubular member; and a second nut member having internal threads for removable engagement with external threads of the protruding end of said second tubular member including second bottom edge means of a second predetermined diameter less than said first predetermined diameter for holding small size decorating tubes against said second lower end of said second tubular member. 